Stephen Dubner

Do you say, get the heck out of the running back position?

I tell them to become a long snapper.

We once made an episode about the economics of the long snapper position.

It's called Why Does the Most Monotonous Job in the World Pay $1 Million?

Episode 493, if you want to listen.

As for running backs, LaShawn McCoy, the six-time pro bowler, was more optimistic about their future.

Here he is again talking with Roland Fryer.

There is some evidence to back up McCoy's optimism.

In recent years, the running game has recovered a bit.

In 2016, only 40.6% of the plays from scrimmage were run plays.

That was a 20-year low.

Last year, it was 43.4% run plays, and this year was up to 43.7%.

When I spoke last year with former Vikings running back Robert Smith, I asked what he thought of the uptick.

Is it possible that there might be somewhat of a return to the retro world of run first?

Brian Burke of ESPN agrees with Smith that Henry and Barclay are the exceptions that prove the rule.

But his reasoning is different, and it goes back to his military training.

I went back to my economist friend and co-host, Roland Fryer, and I asked him if a young running back came to him for advice, what would he say?

And yet, the end of your Wall Street Journal piece...

It goes like this.

The economist in me likes the results, meaning the results of your analysis, finding that running backs get paid less because they're less valuable relatively.